Taipei City Fire Department

1. Governance Performance in Fire Prevention

1. Joint Inspections for Public Safety To ensure the safety of buildings accessible to the public and their compliance with regulations, the Taipei City Fire Department established a joint inspection team for public safety. The team conducted various joint inspections, and in cases where fire safety or building regulations were not met, posted notices of non-compliance and announced the results on the government website to inform the public. In 2022, a total of 176 inspections were conducted, and 157 of them met the requirements, while the other 19 were found non-compliant. All non-compliant cases have been addressed and improved.
2. Subsidies and Promotion of Residential Fire Alarms To improve residential safety and benefit more citizens, the Taipei City government promoted the installation of fire alarms in 22,011 households in 2022, bringing the total number of installations to 464,258 from 1990 to 2022. With the effectiveness of early fire detection, there were 126 successful evacuation cases triggered by fire alarms. Additionally, through various promotional channels, such as print and electronic media, outdoor advertising, community events, and home visits, the public was encouraged to prioritize residential fire safety and install fire alarms in their homes.
3. Strengthening Fire Safety Management in Public Spaces a. Strict Inspection of Fire Safety Equipment There are 33,126 buildings accessible to the public and 31,233 public spaces in Taipei City, and they are classified and managed based on their level of risk. In 2022, a total of 58,078 inspections were conducted on fire safety equipment, and 54,622 of them met the requirements. There were 3,370 cases that did not meet the requirements but were given a deadline to improve, resulting in a qualified rate of 94.05%. There were 86 cases that were reported for non-compliance even after subsequent inspections. b. Implementation of Fire Prevention Management System There are 5,863 locations in Taipei City that require a fire prevention management system, and 5,818 of them have appointed fire prevention managers and created fire protection plans, achieving a completion rate of 99.23%. The self-defense fire brigade training was attended by 122,656 people from 12,050 organizations after subsequent follow-up counseling. c. Promotion of Inspection and Declaration of Fire Safety Equipment There are 4,283 Category A sites that are required to submit declarations for fire safety equipment, and 4,272 of them did so, resulting in a 99.7% submission rate. There are 24,668 non-Category A sites that require declarations, and 24,455 of them submitted, resulting in a 99.1% submission rate. A total of 33,251 submissions were made through the internet, achieving a 100% utilization rate. d. Installation and Use of Flame-retardant Products There are 13,965 locations in Taipei City where flame-retardant products are required, and 18,645 inspections were conducted in 2022. Of these inspections, 18,547 met the requirements, achieving a pass rate of 99.47%. Non-compliant locations have been addressed and improved through regular inspections and fire prevention education, which includes encouraging the public to purchase and use curtains, and other items with flame-retardant markings.

1. Inspection of Capacity Control in Designated Premises Currently, there are 908 designated premises in the city under capacity control. A total of 2,356 inspections were conducted in 111, including regular and random checks, with 2,329 cases meeting the requirements and 27 cases being closed. All of them complied with the regulations on capacity control in designated premises.
2. Dynamic Drills for Public Safety Protection in Large Venues, Hospitals, and Elderly Care Facilities To strengthen the emergency response capabilities of public places such as large department stores, hospitals, and elderly care facilities, dynamic drills for public safety protection were conducted in accordance with the "Taipei City Fire Prevention Self-Government Ordinance". A total of 432 drills were conducted in 111.

Fire Safety Education and Training In 111, 12,128 sessions of fire safety training were conducted for employees of buildings accessible to the public, with 123,358 people being informed. In addition, 1,434 fire prevention education sessions were held for communities, schools (including cram schools), and 1,928 fire safety education sessions were held for government agencies, social organizations, and businesses, with 116,280 and 94,623 participants respectively.

2.Strengthening Dangerous Goods Management

1. Strengthening Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Industry Management There are 87 gas stations and 3 gas filling stations in the city. Every six months, they are required to inspect fire safety equipment, gas storage amounts, and whether steel cylinders that have exceeded the inspection date are used. In 2022, a total of 1,404 inspections were carried out, with 1,389 passing and a pass rate of 98.93%. One business was given a deadline to improve their operations for not complying with regulations, and 14 businesses were fined.
2. Strengthening Natural Gas Industry Storage, Transportation, and Distribution Management A total of 39 inspections were carried out on the fire safety equipment of gas storage tanks of the city's 4 natural gas companies, and all were found to comply with regulations.
3. Setting up LPG Storage Rooms A total of 28 inspections were carried out on the fire safety equipment of gas storage tanks of the city's 4 natural gas companies, and all were found to comply with regulations.

Strengthening Fireworks and Firecracker Management There are 52 registered stores that sell fireworks and firecrackers in the city. They are regularly inspected according to regulations. In 2022, a total of 151 inspections were carried out, and no violations were found. In order to maintain public safety during the Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival, efforts were made to crack down on illegal sales of fireworks and firecrackers. In 2022, a total of 7 violations were found, and the items were confiscated and destroyed according to the law. Additionally, 19 cases related to professional fireworks and firecracker displays were handled (18 cases for display applications and 1 case for record keeping). (V) Handling of Violations of Fire Safety Management In 2022, a total of 120 cases of violations of fire safety management in the city were handled according to the Fire Services Act, including 76 cases related to fire safety equipment, 13 cases related to LPG, 0 cases related to fireworks and firecrackers, 2 cases related to false reports by fire technicians, and 29 other cases.

II. Disaster Prevention and Relief (1) The situation of disaster response centers established is as follows: Disaster Name Establishment Time Disaster Statistics 0103 Earthquake January 3, year 111 from 17:57 to 21:00 Total cases handled: 31 Water supply interruption: 14 cases Buildings slightly damaged: 9 cases Power outage: 2 cases Streetlight malfunction: 2 cases Water supply leakage: 1 case Other disasters: 3 cases 0303 Power Outage March 3, year 111 from 10:11 to 12:00 Total cases handled: 83 Power outage: 49 cases Traffic signal damage: 9 cases Fire: 2 cases Medical assistance: 1 case Other disasters: 22 cases 0825 Afternoon Heavy Rainfall August 25, year 111 from 16:14 to 18:00 Total cases handled: 23 Flooded areas: 16 cases Tree damage: 3 cases Traffic signal damage: 2 cases Damage to electric wires (poles) or cables: 1 case Other disasters: 1 case Typhoon RANANUKI September 2, year 111 from 9:30 to September 4, 10:30 Total cases handled: 173 Tree damage: 100 cases Disasters affecting people's livelihood and infrastructure: 34 cases Advertising sign damage: 9 cases Flooded areas: 8 cases Road and tunnel damage: 8 cases Building damage: 5 cases Rock and soil disaster: 3 cases Environmental pollution: 2 cases Other disasters: 4 cases Nisha Earthquake October

Nisa earthquake, from 15:06 on October 16, 2022 to 22:00 on October 16, 2022. Reopened from 13:00 to 18:00 on October 17, 2022. Total cases handled: 183. Cases of flooding: 101. Cases of fallen trees: 20. Cases of damage to people's livelihood and infrastructure: 17. Cases of damage to roads and tunnels: 16. Cases of landslides: 15. Cases of damage to water facilities: 3. Cases of building damage: 2. Cases of environmental pollution: 2. Cases of damage to advertising signs: 1. Other cases: 6.

2.Conducting the 111th Disaster Prevention and Rescue Drill in Taipei City On April 7th of th year, a drought simulation exercise was conducted at the Taipei City Disaster Response Center. On July 12th, 14 mobilization exercises were carried out based on various complex disaster scenarios that could occur during a drought period, such as suspected radioactive material leakage or a fire in a quarantine hotel. For the first time, the exercise sequence was not compressed, and there was no preset scenario, with semi-early warning implemented. Relevant units received disaster notifications and mobilized to the disaster scene, where they conducted exercises according to SOP. This made the training mode closer to the reality of disasters, enabling a quick response and reducing damage when a real disaster occurs. A total of 1,288 people and 104 vehicles participated in the exercise.

3. Conducting a Test Exercise for the Taipei City Disaster Response Reserve Center On April 26th of the 111th year, a test exercise was conducted at the Taipei City Second Disaster Response Center. The exercise was carried out in accordance with the adjustment plan for units stationed at the Taipei City Disaster Response Center during the COVID19 pandemic. Fourteen units, including the Research, Development, and Evaluation Commission and the police department, were stationed as first responders for level one wind disasters, while other agencies and district offices participated via video conferencing. The test items included sign-in and sign-out procedures for the disaster response support system, case handling and feedback, initial and final reports, video testing, and fax testing for backup centers in each district.

4. Conducting a Table-Top Exercise Based on Simulation for the Taipei City Disaster Prevention and Rescue Plan for 111th Year On December 23rd of the 111th year, a simulation-based Table-Top Exercise (TTX) was conducted at the Beitou District Disaster Response Center to address the "life-saving and search" issue, including rescue roads and resources, among others. The exercise aimed to develop the "Earthquake Emergency Response Form," "Action Plan," and "Earthquake Emergency Response Plan," as well as to improve strategies and goals, which would be incorporated into the "Regional Disaster Prevention and Rescue Plan" at the city or district level. This was first trialed in a single administrative district to accumulate experience, with subsequent modification to earthquake response operations. 

(5) 111 Disaster Prevention and Rescue Training for Disaster Prevention Personnel Disaster Prevention Training Course, January 24-26, 111 (3 sessions), for disaster prevention personnel from various disaster prevention and rescue units in the government, the military, community leaders, New Taipei City and Taoyuan City government disaster prevention staff, etc., with a total of 268 participants. The course covers the following topics:

1. Sharing of local disaster prevention and rescue practical experience.
2. Planning and adjustment of response system during the post-pandemic phase.
3. Discussion on the mechanism of Taipei City's volcanic disaster prevention and rescue response.
4. Training on Taipei City Government Disaster Response Center and Forward Command Post, June 14-15, 111 (for staff in charge), June 16, 111 (for section chiefs), for disaster prevention and rescue units in the government, section chiefs, etc., with a total of 50 participants. The training mainly uses table-top exercises based on the scenario of an air crash, with the lecturer explaining the concept and then assigning the situation, the participants will then discuss and report in groups, and the lecturer will provide professional suggestions and comments on the issues arising from the exercise.
5. Volcanic Disaster Education and Promotion Course, September 7-8, 111 (2 sessions), for personnel related to volcanic disaster in Shilin and Beitou potential disaster areas or nearby fire and police units, schools and kindergartens, medical institutions and nursing homes, elderly and disabled institutions, etc., with a total of 60 participants. The course covers the following: education on volcanic knowledge, introduction of volcanic disaster cases, introduction of monitoring instruments at the Datun Volcano Observatory, and on-site guidance.

(6) Disaster Prevention and Rescue Training for Leaders and Disaster Prevention Personnel in 111 Name Date Target Participants Number of Participants Course Content Major Disaster Site Forward Command Post Training Course, February 24-25, 111 (2 sessions), for disaster response personnel of the Taipei City Fire Department and various field units, and personnel stationed at forward command posts of various bureaus and district offices, with a total of 62 participants. The course covers the following topics:

1. Overview of disaster management.
2. Taipei City's disaster prevention and rescue system and its explanation.
3. Activation and notification mechanism of forward command posts and the division of tasks among various teams.
4. Operation support system and related equipment operation for disaster prevention and rescue.
5. Opening of forward command posts and related equipment operation.
   
   

3. Disaster prevention promotion

1. City-wide Elementary School Fire Safety Experience Day In collaboration with the Department of Education, the "Fire and Disaster Prevention Education Team" consisting of firefighters proactively entered various elementary school campuses in Taipei City to teach 5th grade students correct fire prevention knowledge and personally experience operating fire extinguishers, earthquake evacuation procedures, crawling low in smoke, etc. A total of 184 events were held in 2022, with a total of 21,877 participating students.
2. Holding a 119 Disaster Prevention Promotion Event On January 15, 2022, a 119 disaster prevention promotion event was held at the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Xinyi Place Plaza, with the theme of "New Life of Disaster Prevention, Fun Happiness". Through setting up promotion booths, the public was taught fire prevention, disaster prevention, and evacuation concepts, to enhance the public's abilities to self-rescue, mutual rescue, evacuate, and respond to emergencies, to ensure the safety of life and property of the public. Approximately 3,000 people participated in the event.
3. Holding "National Disaster Prevention Day" Disaster Prevention Education Promotion Activities On September 17, 2022, a disaster prevention education promotion event was held at the National Taiwan Science Education Center and the surrounding park connector road. This event was jointly organized with the National Fire Agency of the Ministry of the Interior, the National Taiwan Science Education Center, the Children's New Paradise, and the Taipei Astronomical Museum. The theme was "Fearless Against Earthquakes, Bravely Show Disaster Prevention", aiming to promote disaster prevention education through the energy of industry, government, and academia, to let the public learn disaster prevention knowledge and skills, and to raise the public's and various sectors' attention to disaster prevention issues, promote the popularization of disaster prevention, reduction, and avoidance skills, and reduce the impact and losses faced by natural disasters. Approximately 3,000 people participated in the event.
4. Holding Community Disaster Prevention Carnivals To strengthen disaster prevention awareness in the communities under jurisdiction, community disaster prevention promotion activities are continuously held, in collaboration with relevant departments, neighborhoods, communities, social groups, and civilian volunteers. Community and school talents are invited to join in the promotional activities to attract the active participation of community residents and students. A total of 11 community disaster prevention promotion activities were held, with a total of 9,450 participants.
5. Cemetery Fire Prevention Promotion and Warning Work Execution Plan From March 19 to April 5, 2022, during the Qingming Tomb Sweeping Festival period, a strengthened cemetery fire prevention promotion and warning work was conducted in a total of 31 legal public cemeteries in the city, with environmental protection water bags produced and affixed with promotional slogans, and distributed to tomb sweepers.
6. Conducting Home Disaster Prevention and Safety Promotion for Little Detectives Through collaboration with 154 elementary schools in the city, 5th grade students and parents participated together to conduct self-inspection of home fire safety.

7. Disaster Rescue (1) Disaster Rescue Drills To strengthen fire rescue and enhance the emergency response capabilities of public places operators, a total of 42 large-scale exercises and disaster rescue drills were held in 2022, as detailed in the table below:

Event Date Exercise Name 1 Jan. 5, 2022 Spring Festival Firefighting Exercise in the Guanglin Store of Carrefour in Wanhua District 2 Jan. 6, 2022 Spring Festival Safety Exercise in the Dihua Street Commercial District in Datong District 3 Jan. 19, 2022 Spring Festival Firefighting Exercise in the Breeze Plaza in Songshan District 4 Jan. 19, 2022 Enhanced Firefighting Exercise during the Chinese New Year Period in the Taipei 101 Shopping Mall in Xinyi District 5 Jan. 26, 2022 Firefighting and Rescue Exercise in the Taipei Station Special Zone-Three Rail Convergence Zone-Taiwan High-Speed Rail Sub-Zone (Taipei Railway B2 Platform) 6 Feb. 21-22, 2022 Military Chess Simulation and Actual Combat Exercise in the Jing Station Building in Datong District 7 Feb. 24, 2022 Firefighting and Rescue Exercise in the Taipei Station Special Zone- Breeze Taipei Station 8 Mar. 18-19, 2022 Military Chess Simulation and Actual Combat Exercise in Section 2 of Dihua Street in Datong District 9 Mar. 22, 2022 Firefighting and Rescue Exercise in the Taipei Station Special Zone - Taipei Underground Mall 10 Mar. 28-29, 2022 Military Chess Simulation and Actual Combat Exercise in the Wufenpu Commercial District in Xinyi District 11 Apr. 7-8, 2022 Military Chess Simulation and Actual Combat Exercise in the Hou Train Station Commercial District in Datong District 12 Apr. 12-13, 2022 Joint Disaster Prevention Exercise in Block A of Maokong Special Zone in Wenshan District 13 Apr. 26, 2022 Firefighting and Rescue Exercise in the Taipei Station Special Zone - Three Rail Convergence Zone-MRT Bannan Line Sub-Zone 14 May 16-19, 2022 Block Exercise in the Neigou Mountain Area in Neihu District 15 May 26, 2022 Firefighting and Rescue Exercise in the Taipei Station Special Zone - Eslite Zone - Guanqian Road and Gongyuan Road Sub-Zone 16 Jun. 26 and Jul. 3, 2022 Military Chess Simulation and Actual Combat Exercise in the Shilin Night Market Commercial District 17 Jun. 30, 2022 Firefighting and Rescue Exercise in the Taipei Station Special Zone - Taoyuan MRT - Taipei Station C1, D1 Sub-Zone 18 Jul. 12, 2022 The First Brigade Conducted the 2022 Taipei Disaster Prevention and Rescue Exercise (Collapse Building Rescue and Response Drill) 19 Jul. 15-16, 2022 Military Chess Simulation and Actual Combat Exercise in the Yangmingshan Area in Shilin District 20 Jul. 21-22, 2022 Firefighting and Rescue Exercise in the Taiwan High-Speed Rail Sub-Zone (High-Speed Rail U-1 Floor) in the Taipei Station Special Zone 21 Jul. 25, 2022 2022 Joint Civilian-Military Air Defense Exercise (Wan'an No.45) 22 Jul.

(3) Enhancing the emergency response capabilities for fire rescue in difficult areas of the city A total of 1,205 locations were identified and listed as difficult areas for fire rescue in Taipei City, including attached brick and wood buildings, areas with limited water sources, high-rise buildings, welfare facilities for persons with disabilities and elderly care institutions, hospitals, large department stores and supermarkets, underground metro stations and malls, mechanical enclosed parking lots, and closed entertainment venues. An "Emergency Response Plan for Fire Rescue in Difficult Areas" was developed and implemented until December 31, 2022. In 2022, 738 live-fire drills and 140 simulations were conducted to enhance the firefighting capabilities of the fire department personnel.

(4) Designating and managing the announced fire escape routes in the city Based on the "Taipei City Government Procedure for Designation and Management of Fire Escape Routes," fire escape routes were designated in areas of urgent need for firefighting and rescue operations. The "fire escape route" was defined as a road that leads to a difficult area for fire rescue or an existing road with a width of less than 7.5 meters and a distance of over 140 meters from buildings used for residential or commercial purposes. Existing roads that do not meet the above definition may be designated as fire escape routes after a review by the department and a consensus of more than 50% of the total households in the community through public opinion surveys. As of the end of 2022, a total of 185 announced and designated fire escape routes were posted on the department's website, and efforts to add more continue. In addition, public education on disaster prevention and firefighting drills were conducted to enhance public safety awareness. The department also regularly enforced towing and removal of illegally parked vehicles along the designated fire escape routes to ensure their unobstructed access.

(5) Replacement and purchase of various types of fire rescue vehicles To improve the efficiency of emergency response, the department allocated a budget of NT$125 million (excluding duty motorcycles) in 2023 to replace and purchase 12 old vehicles, including six small water tankers, two 30-meter aerial ladder trucks, one chemical firefighting truck, one water reservoir firefighting truck, and two chemical disaster response trucks.

 Taipei Search and Rescue Team

1. Cross-regional cooperation drills and training (1) From March 23 to 25, 2022, participated in the "National Evaluation and Testing of IRO Search and Rescue Dogs for 2022" organized by the National Fire Agency of the Ministry of the Interior. (2) From August 2 to 5 and November 8 to 11, 2022, participated in the "Professional Training for Dog Handlers in 2022" organized by the Taoyuan City Government Fire Bureau to learn the meaning of canine body language to reduce errors in command and behavior.
2. IV. Emergency Medical Services (1) EMS Statistics In 2022, there were a total of 146,180 emergency medical service responses handled by 119, an increase of 26,754 responses from the previous year, an increase of 23.5%. The average daily response was 385. The number of patients served by EMS in 2022 was 115,424, an increase of 24.55% from the previous year, with 28,109 patients not transported to the hospital, resulting in a non-transport rate of 19.99%. (2) Improving OHCA Survival The first dedicated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) ambulance team, the "Golden Phoenix," was established on June 1, 1999. In 2022, 487 OHCA patients survived to be admitted to the hospital, an increase of 16 from the previous year, and 111 patients were discharged from the hospital after successful resuscitation, a decrease of 4 from the previous year. From the team's inception through the end of 2022, a total of 1,400 OHCA patients have been successfully resuscitated and discharged from the hospital. (3) Implementation of Abusive Use of Ambulance Fees Since December 8, 2012, the bureau has implemented a plan to charge abusive users of EMS ambulances. Through a combination of fee collection and review mechanisms, the bureau has worked with the Department of Health and the Department of Social Welfare to reduce the inappropriate use of ambulances, and has implemented various measures to correct the behavior of high-use callers, including home visits, subsidies, placement in care facilities, and alcoholism treatment. In 2022, a total of 21 payment notices were issued. (4) Improving Stroke Treatment Rates The bureau has been working with 10 emergency hospitals in the city, including the Tri-Service General Hospital, to promote the "Stroke Notification Medical Integration Plan." By providing advance notice to hospitals, stroke treatment teams can be quickly activated, significantly shortening the time from patient arrival to treatment. After more than 10 years of effort, the bureau has seen improvements in the accuracy and sensitivity of stroke notifications. By the end of November 2022, the rate of rt-PA (thrombolytic therapy) or IA (endovascular thrombectomy) was as high as 55.03%, providing substantial benefits to patients. (5) Promoting CPR+AED Skills for the Public The bureau has established a CPR teaching website and reservation platform, and has comprehensively promoted CPR+AED through various channels, providing citizens with online registration for emergency medical training. The bureau also offers free on-site emergency training courses for groups such as government agencies, schools, companies, and communities, as well as two weekly training courses in each district to promote public learning of CPR, automated external defibrillator (AED), and foreign object choking treatment skills, and to cultivate citizens' emergency response capabilities. By increasing the number of people who can correctly call 119 and provide timely and appropriate assistance, survival rates for patients can be improved. In 2022, the bureau provided 21,580 hours of training to more than 54,000 participants.

V. Case Acceptance Statistics In 2022, a total of 141,642 cases were accepted, an increase of 20,951 cases compared to 2021 with 120,691 cases.

VI. Fire Investigation (1) Fire Statistics In 2022, there were 1,552 fire incidents, causing 9 deaths and 25 injuries (including 3 firefighters injured). Compared to 2021 (1,637 fire incidents causing 11 deaths and 23 injuries), the number of fire incidents decreased by 85, deaths decreased by 2, and injuries increased by 2 (1 fewer civilian injury and 3 more firefighter injuries).

(2) Analysis of Fire Causes In 2022, there were a total of 1,552 fire incidents, with cooking stoves being the leading cause (39.8%), followed by electrical factors (32.0%), cigarette butts (10.8%), burning of grass and garbage (3.2%), and other causes such as arson (1.7%), construction accidents (1.4%), worshipping gods, sweeping graves and ancestors, gas leaks or explosions (each 1.0%), candles (0.8%), suicide and leaving ignition sources (each 0.6%), machinery and equipment, fireworks and traffic accidents (each 0.3%), campfires (0.2%), playing with fire, chemical substances and unknown causes (each 0.1%), and other causes (5.9%).

(3) Enhancing Fire Investigation and Appraisal Skills In August 2022, an advanced fire cause investigation course was held, inviting Lin Wan-yi, a prosecutor from the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office, to introduce the system of lay judges and the essentials of testifying in court, Yan Ru-yu, a prosecutor from the New Taipei District Prosecutors' Office, to explain the precautions for executing fire investigations in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code, Professor Chen Huo-yan from the former National Central Police University to hold a seminar on range hood fires, and Zhu Shao-long, a technical expert from the former National Fire Agency's Fire Investigation Group, to discuss special fire cases.

(4) Enhancing the Credibility of the Fire Appraisal Laboratory In November 2022, the Bureau's fire appraisal laboratory passed the proficiency testing conducted by the Collaborative Testing Service (CTS) in the United States, and will continue to enhance its appraisal credibility in the future.

1. Fire Training (1) Annual Training Each brigade conducts annual training and physical fitness training every month. In 2022, a total of 11,419 people participated in the training. (2) Firefighter Training Category Number of Participants Category Number of Participants
2. Fire Prevention 76 5. Emergency Rescue 3,823
3. Hazardous Materials Management 100 6. Fire Investigation 64
4. Disaster Management 408 7. Education and Training 13,068
5. Disaster Relief 13,802 8. Duty Dispatch 365
6. Reconstruction of Fire Department Buildings To enhance the effectiveness of firefighting and rescue operations in the city, the department will continue to plan and carry out the construction of four new buildings. The Fukuo brigade is scheduled to be completed in 2024, the Dahua brigade in 2025, and the Guandu and Xinglong brigades are expected to be completed in 2026. In addition, four renovation projects for the Jingmei, Xinyi, Zhonglun, and Yanping brigades were completed in 2022. The air conditioning equipment in the headquarters and Shuangxi brigade was also replaced and updated to improve the firefighting and rescue equipment and working environment and enhance work efficiency.
7. Mobilization of Civil Forces

(1) Taipei City Volunteer Fire Department There are six battalions, 29 companies, and 62 platoons under the Taipei City Volunteer Fire Department, with a total of 1,953 volunteers. In 2022, they participated in disaster relief, disaster prevention education, and exercises a total of 8,476 times with 16,035 person-times. They also participated in professional and regular training a total of 487 times with 12,807 person-times. In addition, the Taipei City Volunteer Special Search and Rescue Team had 61 members as of December 31, 2022, who assisted the department in various disaster relief work.

(2) Disaster Prevention and Rescue Groups and Volunteer Organizations There are 11 qualified civilian rescue groups registered in Taipei City, including the Taiwan Red Cross Society's First Disaster Relief Team, Taipei City Volunteer Lifesaving Association, Chinese Diving Promotion Association, Taipei City Beihai Water Rescue Association, Taiwan Mountain Rescue Association-Taipei City Branch, Taipei City Zhongzheng Neighbors Rescue Team, Taipei City Xinyi Neighbors Rescue Team, Taipei City Daan Neighbors Rescue Team, Taipei City Zhongshan Neighbors Rescue Team, Taipei City Songshan Neighbors Rescue Team, and Taipei City Shilin Neighbors Rescue Team, with a total of 403 people. They participated in disaster relief a total of 1,378 times in 2022, and the department can notify these groups to mobilize their personnel and equipment to assist in disaster relief when a disaster occurs.

1. New Policies and Performance in 2022
2. Amendment to the Taipei City Fire Prevention Autonomy Ordinance To prevent the closure of fire safety equipment in venues due to changes in use, the department amended the "Taipei City Fire Prevention Autonomy Ordinance," which was passed by the Taipei City Council on November 10, 2021, and approved by the Executive Yuan on March 14, 2022. The department also authorized the "evacuation and escape safety video message content and playback timing precautions" in accordance with the autonomy ordinance, which took effect on May 2, 2022, to enhance the safety environment of various commercial buildings in the city and safeguard public safety.
3. Strengthening the Fire Safety of Elderly and Nursing Homes To strengthen the fire safety and fire prevention management of vulnerable shelters in the city, the department conducted fire safety equipment inspections and spot checks on fire protection plans during weekdays, nights, and holidays without prior notice. They also evaluated the shelter's evacuation and response capabilities during the night, when manpower was the lowest. This was to improve the self-maintenance and management of fire safety equipment and the emergency response capability of shelter staff.
4. Increasing the Installation Rate of Residential Fire Alarms By combining the efforts of various government agencies and utilizing various print and electronic media, the department promoted the installation of smoke alarms. They also widely publicized successful cases of smoke alarms being triggered during fires and collected data from fire incidents to encourage the installation of smoke alarms. After a disaster, they visited affected households to encourage the installation of smoke alarms, simplified the installation process, and increased the willingness of residents to install smoke alarms. For those who had already installed smoke alarms, the department conducted inspections and provided maintenance services to ensure that they were functioning properly.
5. Strengthening the information and communication security protection level of the disaster response center in this city. In accordance with the "Classification of Information Security Responsibility Levels" promoted by the Executive Yuan, the disaster response center in this city continues to strengthen the establishment of network firewalls, intrusion detection and defense systems, and web application firewalls to cope with new types of cyber security attacks, such as advanced persistent threats, distributed denial of service attacks, and zero-day attacks, in order to ensure the information security of the disaster response center in this city and maintain uninterrupted collection and handling of disaster information.
6. Training and promoting disaster prevention personnel comprehensively. In order to implement localized disaster prevention and relief, encourage the voluntary participation of the public in disaster prevention affairs, and increase the self-help and mutual assistance ratio, since 2019, this department has been conducting disaster prevention personnel training and certification. In 2022, in accordance with the management points for disaster prevention personnel training and certification of the Ministry of the Interior, the certification institutions of the Ministry of the Interior were incorporated to expand the training target. As of the end of 2022, there were 4,871 disaster prevention personnel in this city.
7. Preparing an easy-to-read disaster prevention handbook in Taipei City titled "What to Do When a Fire Breaks Out? (Prevention Edition)." In 2022, the government specially compiled an easy-to-read disaster prevention handbook entitled "What to Do When a Fire Breaks Out? (Prevention Edition)" in accordance with Article 21 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, targeting special needs groups such as pregnant women, infants, children, persons with disabilities, and people with mobility difficulties, to provide easily understandable fire prevention knowledge.
8. Continuously improving firefighting and rescue vehicles and equipment. In order to improve firefighting vehicles and equipment, enhance firefighting and rescue capabilities and efficiency, and reduce the huge losses of people's lives and property caused by fires, this department has established the "Taipei City Government Fire Department Fire Vehicle Enrichment Plan" (112-115 years), which gradually replaces vehicles that have been in use for more than 15 years or are no longer usable each year. It is scheduled to be completed in 115 years, and the ratio of firefighting vehicles exceeding the service life can be reduced to about 13.5%. In addition, this department flexibly utilizes the power of private donations. In the 2022 fiscal year, a total of three small water tank fire trucks and three firefighting patrol cars were donated by the public, and NT$10 million was donated for joint donation matters. From January 1, 2023 to present, two large water tank fire trucks and two small water tank fire trucks have been donated, in order to ensure the safety of colleagues on duty and enhance the rescue capabilities
   Taipei City Fire Department has formulated a contingency plan for ambulance services in response to the large number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 Omicron variant. The rapid spread of the virus has caused the number of confirmed cases in the city to continuously rise, making it difficult to estimate the number of injured and sick patients. The plan, called "Taipei City Fire Department's Contingency Plan for Ambulance Services in Response to a Large Number of Confirmed Cases," was established on May 13, 2022. According to the plan, the department plans to deploy 45 teams and 65 ambulances to carry out epidemic prevention duties. Depending on the development of the epidemic situation, if there are a large number of confirmed patients, backup teams will be notified and up to 92 ambulances will be deployed to carry out epidemic prevention duties to maintain the city's emergency medical system's capacity before arrival.
9. To optimize the chain of life, shorten the response time of OHCA ambulance services, and strive for the golden rescue time, the department has implemented the "PA (Pumper-Ambulance) Link" dispatch mode. When the ambulance of the first priority team is unavailable, a fire engine with four firefighters will be dispatched to provide emergency medical services. In 2022, the PA Link dispatch model successfully dispatched 476 fire engines and 1,904 firefighters.
10. To enhance the disaster prevention and rescue capabilities of volunteer firefighters and civilian rescue organizations, the department has expanded the use of civilian resources, enriched the equipment of volunteer firefighter organizations and civilian rescue organizations, and provided skills training to volunteer firefighters and civilian rescue organizations. This will improve welfare, insurance, and comfort measures, and enhance the disaster prevention and rescue capabilities.

To provide the public with better reporting and emergency rescue services, the department replaced and upgraded the communication equipment and software system of the 119 Disaster Relief and Ambulance Command Center from 2019 to 2021. The new system was officially launched on January 1, 2022, incorporating the latest technology and planning various functions such as "integrated multi-acceptance and transfer mode," "large-volume call handling mechanism," "mobile cloud command center," "smart mobile device dispatch and use," and "construction of GIS real-time battle information dashboard and visualization decision-making platform." By using government open data to obtain various disaster relief information and utilizing digital technology to enhance system operation efficiency, the department aims to improve rescue efficiency and safeguard the lives and property of citizens.